Tunisia’s Ministry of Industry,Mines,and Energy has clarified that the decrease in production at the Al Borma oil field stems largely from a natural annual decline of approximately 8 percent,compounded by operational hurdles linked to the financial difficulties of the Italo-Tunisian Petroleum Exploitation and Distribution Company (SITEP).
Responding to a parliamentary inquiry by MP Fatma Mseddi,the ministry noted that lapses in securing essential equipment and maintenance support due to unpaid supplier debts contributed to production challenges,prompting some vendors to withdraw from tender processes.
Despite these constraints,the ministry highlighted a 15 percent boost in Al Borma output by the end of March 2025 compared with the same period in 2024,signalling SITEP’s efforts to stabilise and enhance productivity.
The company is executing a development and exploration programme running through 2030,including plans to drill ten new wells to help address Tunisia’s energy deficit,with two scheduled for 2025 and 2026. On procurement matters,the ministry also disclosed that a catering services contract awarded to Petroserv in late 2021 failed to meet several obligations,underscoring wider operational governance issues within the sector.
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